. I don't know that there _is_ a reverse to it--but we
can try.

"Greca dear,"--the girl started at the warmth of his thought, and a
faint pink rose to her pale cheeks--"you'd better stay by my side.
Your place as hostage-priestess of your people wouldn't save you if
those devils catch you now. Besides, you can keep your tube leveled at
the doorway as we go, and discourage any Rogans who might pluck up
courage to try coming out again."

They started down the field toward the nightmare thing that snarled
and hissed in its corner. On one side of the big enclosure walked
Brand, with Greca close beside him, glancing continuously over her
shoulder at the rear door, and holding her tube in readiness to check
any charge the Rogans might attempt to make from the tower building.
On the other side, keeping an equal pace, advanced Dex.

With tubes of death as whips, and with death for themselves set as the
stake for which they gambled, they went about their attempt to drive
the brainless monster before them through the solid wall of the dome
building. And there followed what was probably the strangest animal
act the universe has ever witnessed.

* * * * *

The first thing to do was to rout the enormous lizard out of the
corner where sullen fear had sent it squatting. Dex contrived to do
that by standing next to the wall at its side, and sending a searing
ray that just touched the scaly, tremendously thick hide. The monster
bellowed deafeningly, and, with a spot smoking on its flank, waddled
sideways to the center of the field. Its head and swaying long neck
faced the Earthmen and its back was against the wall of the dome
building. To that extent, at least, they had the creature placed; but
they soon found that the struggle had only just begun.

Brand got far enough around to focus his tube on the tip of the huge
tail, in an effort to swing the gigantic thing about. There was an
unearthly shriek from the colossal beast, and a foot and a half of its
tail disappeared.

"Careful," called Dex, his jaw set and grim as the monster lashed out
in its wrath. "If you bore in too long with that tube there'll be
nothing left of our tank but a cloud of smoke."

Brand nodded, wordlessly, walking on the balls of his feet like a
boxer, holding himself ready to swerve the thing should it charge
them. Which--next instant--it did!

With a whistling bellow it gathered its tons of weight and thundered
with inc